17-aminomethyl androstanes



United States Patent 3,102,126 17-AMINOMETHYL ANDROSTANES Pierre Crabb, Mexico City, Mexico, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Syntex Corporation, a corporation of Panama No Drawing. Filed Mar. 1, 1962, Ser. No. 176,771 Claims priority, application Mexico Nov. 17, 1961 21 Claims. (Cl. 260-3974) The present invention relates to certain new cyclopentanophenanthrene derivatives and to a method for the preparation thereof.

More particularly, it relates to the novel l7-aminomethyl derivatives of the androstane series, which are powerful antiovnlatory agents. Such compounds are represented by the following formulas:

on p iCIhNIh 3,192,126 Patented Aug. 27, 1963 OH l crumb In the above formulas Y represents a keto group or a free or esterified fi-hydroxyl group; Z and Z represent a single or a double bond between C-1,2 and C-6,7.

The acyl groups referred to above derive from a carboxylic acid of less than 12 carbon atoms, saturated or unsaturated, of straight, branched, cyclic or mixed aliphatic cyclic chain, substituted or not with other functional groups such as hydroxyl, alkoxy, amino, halogen or other groups. Typical such esters are the acetate, propiona'te, valerate, enanthate, undecenoate, benzoate, trimethylacetate, texbutylacetate, phenoxyacetate, cyclopentylpropi-onate, aminoacetate and fi-chloropropionate.

The method employed for preparing the compounds Y 1 object of the present invention is illustrated by the fol- 111 7 lowing series of reactions:

M-cN 3 A00 AeO- I I II H II (gm (5H NWCHQNH! NwCHflNH) 0* AcO- I IV I III H H 0A0 0A0 imcmNnt z-cn, imcnmnc-crn :1 0 l 0- AcO r VI V W C HiNHz In the above formulas Ac represents the acyl group and preferably the acetyl group. The wavy line at Cal indi cates the a or B steric configuration for the substituents thereat.

When practicing the process outlined above, isoandrosterone acetate (I) is allowed to react with potassium cyanide in mixture with acetic acid, methanol and chloroform, at low temperature, preferably at C., and for a period of time between 18 and 24 hours, to produce a mixture of epimeric l7-cyano derivatives, that is, the 3- aectate of l7a-cyano-androstane-3fi,l7/3-diol and the acetate of l7fl-cyano-androstane-3fl,l7a diol (II), which may be separated by chromatography, fractional crystallization, etc. By catalytic hydrogenation in acetic acid solution and using platinum oxide as catalyst, the l7-cyano compounds are converted into the corresponding 17- aminomethyl derivatives (III).

Conventional saponification of the acetoxy group at C-3, for example by refluxing with methanolic potassium hydroxide, followed by oxidation with chromic acid in acetic acid solution or in acetone solution in sulfuric acid medium, leads to the formation of the corresponding ketones, i.e. l7a-aminomethyl-androstan-l7fi-ol-3-one and l7fl-aminomethy1-androstan-l7a-ol-3-one (IV).

For preparing the unsaturated ketones, it is necessary to protect the methylamino group previous to the introduction of the double bonds; for this purpose the 3-acetate of .l7a-cyano-androstane-3fi,17 8-diol and its 175- epimer (III) are treated with acetic anhydride in the presence of an acid catalyst such as perchloric acid or p-toluenesulfonic acid, to give the 3,17-diacetate of 17aacetamidomethyhandrostane318,17,3-dio1 or its 17fi-acetamido epimer (IV). By selective saponification of the acetoxy group at C-3 under mild alkaline conditions, for example by treatment with potassium carbonate in methanol at room temperature, there are produced the l7-acetarnidomethyl-3fl -hydroxy-androstanes, which by oxidation with chromic acid in acetic acid solution or in acetone-sulfuric acid solution, are converted into the respective ketones (VI).

By treating these compounds with 2,3-dichloro-5,6- dicyano-l,4-benzoquinone in dioxane, at the reflux temperature and for a period of time between 8 and 16 hours, preferably for hours, there are obtained mixtures of the A and A -dehydro derivatives (VII and VIII).

Alternatively, these compounds may be obtained by dibrominating the l7-acetoxy-17-aoetamidomethyl-3-ketoandrostanes (VI), followed by treatment of the 2,4-dibromo compounds thus formed, with sodium iodide and then dehydrohalogenating with collidine, thus giving rise to the formation of 17fi-aeetoxy-17a-acetamidomethyltestosterone and 17wacetoxy-17fi acetamidomethyl-testos- WCHINIII terone (VII). When the debrominated compound is directly allowed to react with collidine, there are obtained the A -dehydro compounds (VIII).

Finally, by treatment with methanolic potassium hydroxide under reflux, there are hydrolyzed the 17-acetamido group as well as the aoetoxy group, thus obtaining the free l7-methylamino compounds, that is, 17a-methylamino-testosterone and l713-111ethylamino-isotestosterone (IX), 17u-methylamino-n -dehydrotestosterone and 17;?- methylamino-n -dehydro-isotestosterone (X).

For preparing the 6-dehydro derivatives, the A -l7- methylamino-androstenes as well as the A -l7-methylamino-androstadienes (X and XI) are treated with chloranil in an adequate solvent, such as terbutanol, ter-amyl alcohol, xylene, etc.

The following examples serve to illustrate but are not intended to limit the scope of the invention:

Example I A solution of 10 g. of isoandrosterone acetate, 28 cc. of acetic acid, 120 cc. of methanol and cc. of chloroform was cooled to 0 C. and treated with 50 g. of potassium cyanide, which was added over a period of 20 min utes; the mixture was stirred for 2 hours further and then kept standing overnight. It was then diluted with water, extracted with ethyl acetate and the extract was washed to neutral, dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate and evaporated to dryness, thus affording a mixture of C-l7 epimers of the 3-acetate of 17-cyano-androstane-3fl,l7-diol. By chromatography on 50 times its weight of washed alumina, the fractions eluted with benzene-chloroform (1:1) afforded the 3-acetate of 17a-cyano-androstane-3p,l76- diol, having a melting point of 165-170 C., [0:] -19 (CHCl A solution of 5 g. of the above crude compound in cc. of glacial acetic acid was hydrogenated in the presence of 3.75 g. of platinum oxide catalyst, which had been previously reduced, until the absorption of hydrogen ceased. The catalyst was removed by filtration and the filtrate was evaporated to dryness. The residue was dissolved in chloroform, washed with 2% sodium hydroxide solution and with water to neutral, dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate and evaporated to dryness. By crystallization of the residue from acetone-hexane, there was obtained the 3-acetate of l7B-aminomethyl-androstane- 3{:l,l7rxdi0l; M.P. 223-225 C., [M 17 (CHCl By chromatography there was also obtained another product with M.P. 236-237 C., [0:1 -35 (Ha-aminomethyl epimer).

Example II A solution of 0.17 g. of potassium hydroxide in 2 cc. of water and 2.5' cc. of methanol was added to a boiling A mixture of 500 mg. of 17a-aminomethyl-androstane- 3 8,l7 8-diol, 2 cc. of pyridine and 1 cc. of propionic anhydride was kept overnight at room temperature and then poured into water. The precipitate was collected, thus obtaining the 3-propionate of l7a-aminomethyl-androstane-3;3,17,B-diol.

In the same manner, but using caproic, enanthic and cyclopentylpropionic anhydrides as esterifying agents, there were obtained the respective 3-monoesters of 170:- aminomethyl-androstane-35,l7t3-diol.

Example IV A solution of 1 g. of l7a-aminomethyl-androstane-3B, 17B-diol in 20 cc. of acetone was cooled to C. and with stirring and under an atmosphere of nitrogen it was treated with an 8 N solution of chromic acid (prepared by mixing 26 g. of chromium trioxide with 23 cc. of concentrated sulfuric acid and diluting with water to 100 cc.), until the color of the reagent persisted in the mixture. The mixture was stirred for 5 minutes at 0-5 C. and then diluted with water. The precipitate formed was collected by filtration, washed with Water and dried under vacuum, thus yielding a crude product which upon crystallization from acetone-hexane atforded I'Ia-aminornethyl-androstan-17fl-ol-3one.

Example V A mixture of 3 g. of the 3-acetate of l7a-aminomcthylandrostane-3B,l7fi-diol, 20 cc. of acetic anhydride and 100 mg. of p-toluenesulfonic acid was heated on the steam bath for 30 minutes, cooled to 0 C., and diluted with ice water. The precipitate formed was collected by filtration and recrystallized from acetone-ether, thus furnishing the 3,17-diacetate of 17 a-acetamidomethyl-androstane-3 8,17,6- diol.

A solution of 1 g. of the above compound in 60 cc. of methanol was treated with a solution of l g. of potassium carbonate in 6 cc. of water and the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 2 hours. It was then diluted with water and the precipitate formed was recrystallized from acetone-hexane, thus furnishing the l7-monoacetate of l7a-acetamidornethyl-androstane-3f ,l7fl-diol.

By oxidation with 8 N chromic acid in acetone, in accordance with the method described in Example III, there was obtained the acetate of l7a-acetamidomethyl-androstan-17fi-ol-3-one.

A mixture of 500 mg. of the above compound, 10 cc. of dioxane and 350 mg. of 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-1,4- benzoquinone was refluxed for 10 hours and cooled. The precipitate of 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-l,4-benzohydroquinone formed during the reaction was removed by filtration and the filtrate was evaporated to dryness. The residue was chromatographed on 25 g. of washed alumina, thus affording the acetate of l7m-acetarnidomethyl-n androsten-l'I,8-ol-3-one and the acetate of l7u-acetamidomethyl-o -androstadien-l7fl-ol-3-one.

Example VI A solution of 1 g. of l'la-acetamidomethyl-Aendrosten- 17B-ol-3-one in 75 cc. of methanol was treated with 500 mg. of potassium hydroxide dissolved in 1 cc. of Water and 5 cc. of methanol and the mixture was refluxed for 2 6 hours. After cooling it was neutralized with acetic acid and diluted with water until complete precipitation. The solid formed was collected and recrystallized from acetonehexane, thus yielding l7a-aminomethyl-testosterone.

Example VII By following the method described in the preceding example, 1 g. of the acetate of l7u-aoetarnidometl1yln -androstadien-l7f3 ol-3-one was hydrolyzed with potassium hydroxide in methanol to produce 17a-aminomethyl- A -anadrostadiene-17 3ol-3one.

Example VIII There were repeated the methods of Examples IV and VII, but using as starting material l7fi-aminomethyl-androstane-3fi,l7u-diol, thus obtaining l7B-aminomethylandrostan-17a-ol-3-one, the 3,17-diaeetate of Uri-acetamidomethyl-androstane-Sfi,17a-diol, the 17-monoaeetate of 17B-acetamidomethyl-androstan-3;B,17a-diol, the acetate of l7fi-aoetamidomethyl-androstan-17a-ol-3-one, the acetate of l7-acetarnidomethyl-isotestosterone, the acetate of l7fl-acetamidomethyl-n dehydro-isotestosterone, l7,3-aminomethyl-isotestosterone and 17 B-aminomethyl- A -dehydro-isotestosterone.

Example IX In accordance with the method described in the preceding Example, aminomethyl isotestosterone, 17maminomethyl A dehydrotestosterone and 17B aminornet-hyl-A -dehydro-isotestosterone were respectively converted into 17t3-aminomethyl-n -androstadien-17a-ol-3- one; 1heminornethyl-A -androstatrien-175-01- 3 one and 17B-aminomethyl-A -androstatrien-l'im-ol-3-one.

Example XI By following the method described in Example III but using 17B-aminomethyl-androstane 318,17; diol as the starting compound, theree was obtained the 3-propionate, 3-caproate, 3-enanthalte and S-cyclopentylpropionate.

I claim:

1. A compound of the following formula:

wherein Y is selected from the group consisting of keto, fl-hydroxy and [fl-hydrocarbon carboxylic acyloxy of less than 12 carbon atoms.

2. l7a aminomethyl*androstane-3[3,17,8-diol.

3. The 3- acetate of l7a-amino1'nethyl-anadrostane-3B, l7fl-diol.

4. The hydrocarbon carboxylic acid esters of less than 12 carbon atoms of 17waminomethyl-androstane-Zifl,1718- diol.

8 5. l7u-aminomethyl-andmstaan-l7fl-ol-3-one. and Z is selected from the group consisting of a double 6. A compound of the following formula: bond and a saturated linkage between C-6 and C-7.

1 l. 17a-aminornethyl-testosterone. 12. 17a-arninomethyl-A -androstadien-17/3-ol-3-0ne.

15. A compound of the following formula:

0H 5 13. 17a-aminomethyl-A -androstadien-175-ol-3-0ne.

14. 17a-aminometlhyl-A androstatrien 175 o1 3- one. Y i 1':

CIi'gNHz l on wherein Y is selected from the group consisting of keto, Z fl-hydroxy and [El-hydrocarbon canboxylic acyloxy of less than 12 carbon atoms. 15

7. 17fl-aminomethyl androstane-3,8,17u diol. O"

8. The 3-aeetate of 17B-aminomethyleanadrostane-3fl 17u-dio1. Z1

9. 17p-aminomethyhandrostan-17a-ol-3-one. Whemin Z is Selected from the l 1 group consisting of a double A compound of the ionowmg formula 20 bond and a saturated linkage between C-1 and C-2 and Z is selected from the group consisting of a double bond and a saturated linkage between 0-6 and 07.

OH I "CHZNH! 16. 17B-aminomethyl-isotestosterone. 17. 17B-aminomethy1-A -dehydro-isotestosterone. z 18. 17fi-aminornethyl-A -androstetrien 17oz o1 3- (Q 19. l713-aminomethyl-n -androstadien-17a-o1-3-one. 20. The acetate of l7a-acetamidomethyhtestosterone.

21. The acetate of 17;8-acetamidomethyl-isotestosterwherein Z is selected from the group consisting of a double bond and a saturated linkage between C-] and C-2 No references cited. 

1. A COMPOUND OF THE FOLLOWING FORMULA: 